Korean Note 7 owners will get a 50 percent discount on the Galaxy Note 8 or S8 when they are released next year, Reuters reports.
Samsung recalled and ultimately discontinued production of the Note 7 following multiple cases of the handset overheating, catching fire, and exploding. Today's announcement, in Korean, indicates that the company remains committed to the Note lineup, and specifically mentions the Galaxy S8 and Note 8. To take advantage of the discount program, Note 7 owners will first have to trade in their device for a Galaxy S7.
In addition to offering refunds or exchanges for a Galaxy S7 smartphone, Samsung has already offered financial incentives amounting to approximately $90 to affected customers in South Korea.
A subsidized upgrade to a next-generation smartphone will appeal to the Samsung faithful in Korea, which has long been a stronghold for the company. Samsung said the availability of such a program in other markets will be dependent on the situation in each country, according to Reuters, but it did not elaborate.
In the US, Note 7 owners can currently get $25 in credit if they return their defective phone, or $100 if they exchange it for another Samsung device.
Samsung will likely face multiple lawsuits over the defective Note 7. One of the first was filed in a New Jersey district court earlier this month, with its plaintiffs seeking class-action status and compensation for mobile fees they incurred when they could not use their dangerous phablets.
On Monday, 527 Note 7 owners filed a lawsuit in a South Korean court against Samsung seeking compensation of 500,000 won ($442.61) per person, Reuters reports.